Numb
by eulpie
Summary: GRIMDARK. At first it had manifested in nightmares or talking in her sleep. But slowly, things had escalated, and she found herself prone to breakdowns. She had, on several mornings, awoken from a dream speaking in tongues. Blood would ooze from her eyes in place of tears on rare occasions. But the weirdest of symptoms occurred one evening spent with the usual suspects.
1. Prologue

Rose Lalonde lived peacefully in a small town, attending an isolated high school with a group of close friends. Her life had been as average as possibly imaginable; absent father, alcoholic mother, an unironically ironic cool-kid step-brother she considered her best friend and a loss pf a dear pet cat, Jaspers. Eighteen, the girl had her drover's license and a girlfriend, Kanaya, who she adored. Her best friends, John, Jade and brother, Dave, were as close as atoms would allow.

Although, as she grew, so did an abnormality. At first it had manifested in nightmares or talking in her sleep. But slowly, things had escalated, and she found herself prone to breakdowns. She had, on several mornings, awoken from a dream speaking in tongues. Blood would ooze from her eyes in place of tears on rare occasions. But the weirdest of symptoms occurred one evening spent with the usual suspects.

DISCLAIMER: This is going to be Grimdark. Meaning, graphic everything, presumably. I don't know yet. All I have planned is Rose puking tentacles. I don't know how active all the characters will be, but there will be mention of everyone (of the beta timeline) being present. The few characters I'm counting on having appear religiously are: Rose, Dave, Kanaya and maybe Karkat? I have no idea how important certain characters will or will not be! Sorry, I'm no good at planning ahead!

Homestuck Andrew Hussie.


	2. Primping of the Fittest

A party at John Egbert's? Rose was so in.

Standing beside her half-best-friend-half-brother before the bathroom mirror, Rose carefully applied her black lipstick as Dave fumbled with his visage. The party wasn't going to be exactly formal, considering the host, but Rose only found it proper to follow appropriate procedures.

"How do I look?" Dave asked matter-of-factly as he turned to face his sister.

"You look like a boy trying much too hard to be a man," she said, only barely eyeing him in the mirror before stepping back to examine her work.

"So, good."

The dame smiled, turning to her brother with a chuckle. Rose extended her arms and took Dave's bow-tie and adjusted it.

"You look lovely," she finally assured with a firm pat on his chest, her arms fallojg to their usual length at her sides, where she flattened her dark purple dress. It was short, held together tight at the waist and flowing out in layers. The top exposed little cleavage; enough to remain seductive while still appearing modest, the straps choking her to stay up. Her legs were bare, heels that added an extra inch on her feet.

"You too," said the teen donned in a suit. It was a black suit, the undershirt white per the norm. He wore it well, that much was incredibly certain. On his feet were a pair of black shoes, a red tie to accent the whole ensemble. His sunglasses, gifted by a best friend by the name of John, sitting on his face like usual. He nodded, his lips pulled into a tight line, the only light being in his red eyes that flooded with glee and anticipation.

Unfortunately, the enthusiasm died, diminishing from his eyes as Rose's eyes widened abruptly. She began to cough and sputter, dropping to her knees instinctively as she yanked back the toilet seat. Her body tensed and spasmed as the female tried to force up the vomit she felt in her stomach, but nothing more than strangled coughs and gags escaped as she gripped the bowl with either hand.

"Dammit, are you alright, Rose?" Dave exclaimed as he knelt at her side, rubbing her back sympathetically.

In response, Rose's shoulders hunched and her person convulsed once more. Giving a violent last cough, black gulck left her throat, splashing into the toilet water. The woman drew in long breaths as the soothing comfort of Dave's hand eased her mind. She wiped her mouth on the back of her wrist, startled by the goo that stained her pale skin.

"I'm fine," she lied slowly. Her eyes were glued to the black for a moment, only to be averted disgustedly as she flushed down the black mess. Blood, she was accustomed to puking up, but black splooge? That was entirely too new.

Swallowing hard, on her pride and all else, Rose scrambled to her feet, watching as the toilet flushed away the blackening water that howled a futile accusation.

"Do you still want to go to the party?" Dave inquired, worry draping over his usual blank demeanor.

"Yes," Rose nodded to accentuate. "I do, let's go."

Unsure, Dave suspiciously followed Rose into the hall, sticking close behind her as she slipped out the front door.

The blond dug into her clutch-purse, presenting a set of keys as she withdrew her hand. It dangled and jingled before she tossed them to her brother.

"You drive," she offered, rounding to the passenger side of the black vehicle that belonged to their mother, who had fallen asleep earlier that afternoon after swimming in intoxication.

Dave grabbed the keys from the air, slipping into the car and assuming his role immediately.

"Tell me if you need me to pull over."

Rose nodded, her eyes set on the windshield blankly.

The male pulled out of the driveway, concern beating hard against his ribs. He knew she was thinking about it. She knew he was thinking about it. But neither wanted to admit it.

Rose was, essentially, going grimdark.


	3. I'm Gonna Puke It, Anyway

Arriving fashionably late, at 905pm rather 900pm, Dave parked the car. He eyed his sister cautiously as she threw her door open, swinging out with ease. He followed gingerly, surveying the way she sauntered to the front door. She knocked once, twice, three times before standing back.

"David," she prompted, her eyes on the door and person unmoving.

The male said nothing but turned his eyes to her, taking his position at her left as they waited patiently.

"Please, keep an eye on me."

Before he could respond, the door was yanked open to reveal John Egbert.

"Hey, guys!"

The interior of John's house was exactly what you would expect it to be; dorky. Rose had always admired the jester figurines, however. They always did make her giggle.

Turning a small clown in her hand, she examined the statue. This one had always been her favorite for reasons she didn't understand, its hair was red and floofy and it had a red nose, its face was painted sad but if you looked hard enough, the grooves in its plaster face indicated its melancholy. It was different than all the other jesters, striking her as a clown of the literal sense.

"Don't touch that, it'll give you cooties," John allowed, standing by Rose, relishing in her presence.

"Sorry." Rose carefully set it back on its designated surface.

"I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to him!" The laughter that bellowed from John made Rose smirk. He was, indeed, a goofball.

"Rose, you've made it!"

The blond female turned, drinking in the sudden sight of Kanaya Maryam, bringing a smile to her front. She stepped forward, instantly reaching to cup the taller woman's tanned skin, caressing her jawline, and bringing their lips close. They kissed, Kanaya's arms finding their way around Rose's waist. Little was spoken as they drew back, pink eyes drowning in jade ones.

"Hello," Rose finally uttered.

"Good evening."

"It is now that I-"

"Get a roooooooom!" The interruption bursted through the room, its offender standing across the floor. The lesbian's eyes fell on Vriska, her blond hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. Rose admired the blue that accented her bangs, but would never admit it to that 8itch. Thanking God as the spider-loving nerd turned back to Terezi, rather swaying over to them, Rose grinned up at Kanaya.

"Ignore that twat," a plastic red cup was suddenly entrusted to Rose, who stared at it with a dumbfounded look on her face. She wrapped her fingers around it, watching as the golden liquid splashed against its confides for sweet escape. It took her a minute to tear her eyes away to look at the presenter, who was no other than Karkat. He continued demandingly. "Rose, hold my drink, I'm going to go look for food," and he was gone.

Rose turned her eyes to Kanaya once more, who shrugged with the same placid smile on her painted black lips. She brought the mouth of the cup to her nose, inhaling the liquor. Underaged drinking seemed wrong, but it didn't feel forbidden, either. It was almost like it was supposed to be apart of her miserable life, and the very thought of suffocating her problems, albeit momentarily, in intoxication, made her grip the understanding and forgiveness she suddenly held towards her mother. Just one sip couldn't hurt, right? Just one sip, and Karkat would never know that someone had taken a mouthful.

Hesitantly, she moved the rim to her lips. She bit at it nervously, the moist plastic tasting lightly of alcohol and Karkat. Or, what she assumed to be Karkat.

Slowly, she tipped the cup, drops of beer hitting her tongue. It wasn't as bad as she had been previously made to believe, so she took in a mouthful, lowering the cup and swallowing hard. It traveled down, the feeling of the cold beverage splashing into her warm stomach sending a shudder down her spine.

"Rose," Kanaya finally began.

"Just one more sip," she promised.

Kanaya sighed, realizing that no matter her pleas, Rose would go for it. She also decided to withstand hypocrisy, as she herself had downed a few drinks.

One more sip fell into two more, three more, many more, until the cup was empty of content. She was feeling it drip into her system, but it was hardly affecting her. She smiled at Kanaya.

"I found some godawful tortilla chips in John's kitchen, but I don't kn-woah, what the fuck, did you drink all my fucking beer?" He had swiped back his cup, glaring angrily into the void. "I _trusted _you, Rose. And you betrayed me. And now I have to go obtain more goddamn alcohol to ease my pathetic, wretched mindset."

"Get me one," Rose called after him as he left, bag of chips in hand.

"If you puke, I will hold your hair back," Kanaya assured, bringing a distraught look onto Rose's face.

"Thank you," she replied questioningly. "Although your statement is a little strange, your attempt at a show off affection is...is super nice," the alcohol was starting to strangle her vocabulary.

"There it is," the grin that washed over her lover's face made Rose's head spin. Karkat was back abruptly, a cup of hand in her grasp.

"Here," he grumbled, taking a sip from his own beverage.

Before she knew it, Rose was on her fourth beverage, and the liquor was affecting her loudly. She wavered and spun, and arm around Kanaya's shoulder for support after the fifth beer. With a stomach full of Karkat's chips, she washed down the salty taste with a chug of a sixth. She was called to the kitchen by Eridan, who also had a few beers in his system, and the two spent what felt like hours talking about wizards, over which Rose consumed two more cups.

After her ninth cup, she clutched her stomach achingly.

"Kanaya," she cooed, leaning against her as they sat on the couch together. The party was dying, midnight had come around now, and the few patrons left were playing video games among other things. Karkat was on the other side of Rose, nonchalantly thumbing through a novel.

"Yes?"

"I think I need to take you up on your off_hic-_offer..."

"What offer would that be?"

"The one where yo-_hic_-you would hold my, _nngh_, my hair back," she choked back a few dry heaves.

Karkat jumped up, his eyes wide, followed by Kanaya, who struggled slightly as she tried to pull Rose from the comforting grip of the couch. The trio stumbled up the steps, pulling open the bathroom door and lumbering in.

"Ugh!" Rose threw herself down in front of the toilet, hunching over it as she tried to force up the beer-induced acid within her. Kanaya knelt beside her, rubbing her back and cooing sweet nothing-in-particulars as the female tried to compel out the offending stomach pains.

"Maybe you shouldn't have absorbed so much fucking redneck methanol, you lightweight," Karkat scolded, taking a seat on the edge of the tub. Although he spoke angrily, apprehension flooded his being. He wanted to contribute, but at the moment, he couldn't figure out what to even mutter.

Suddenly, Rose began to convulse violently, as if she were being tormented. She began to writhe as something climbed up her throat. It came out past a strangled groan, the vomit draining out.

"Oh, my God," Kanaya breathed. Karkat's eyes widened, but Rose continued to heave, attempting desperately to discharge the fluids inside of her. Tears began to elicit as the vomit clogged her throat, paining her to breathe through even her nose.

Black. Black goo stuck to the inside of the bowl, darkening the toilet water.

Through choked gasps, Rose managed two words that meant more to anyone than anything in the given moment, her voice loud and pleading. "_Get Dave_!"


	4. Putrid Waste

It took Karkat a few moments to collect himself, but he was snapped back to reality by the firm demand to move his feet. Wobbly as he threw himself off the tub, he stumbled out the door. He didn't know where Strider was, but his feet were flying down the hall. His suspicions of Dave's sexuality go the best of him, he realized, as he stopped at John's bedroom door.

"Dave!" He knocked a few hurries times before pressing his ear to the door. "Dave, I know you're in here!"

Muffled voices sounded from behind the door and Karkat was able to make out a hushed "shh, shh, he'll go away if we stay quiet." A few chuckles followed, bringing a scowl to Karkat's face.

The knob. Karkat reached for the knob, but it rejected the twist he gave.

"Dave, it's your sister!" He called desperately. "She's in the bathroom, puking up bl-"

He was interrupted by the door as it flew open, forcing Karkat back a few steps to watch as Dave burst from the room, running down the hall faster than Karkat could keep up with. Scurrying close behind, they made it back into the bathroom.

"Rose?!" His voice was loud.

She gave nothing more than a sputter, goo dripping from her chin as she tried to choke down the inevitable.

"What's wrong with her?" Karkat whined, his voice overflowing this worry and sheer disgust.

"Something," Kanaya began slowly," that I don't understand."

"Is Aradia still here? She's into creepy shit, maybe she knows what's wrong with her," Karkat offered hopefully, his eyes darting from person to person as his body shook with panic.

"No, she left already," John was just catching up, his voice cracking upon laying his eyes on Rose. "Oh, my God, Rose!"

Rose hurled loudly into the toilet in reply, the splash echoing in the dull atmosphere. Something solid had dislodged from her throat, the sound of a splosh registering in terrified ears.

"Are you going to make it?" Kanaya's voice was soft and calm as opposed to everyone else, even as it wavered here and there, but the consternation that lingered was making her heart pound loud in her ears. The fear would remain subdued, however, for the sake of everyone's thoughtfulness.

"Yes-" Rose gasped between sobs and gags. She took in a few shaky deep breaths, her pants picking up right before she swallowed down another flood. She was careful not to let the damn break as spoke. "I-I'll be o-o-" her sentence was cut short by the sharp sound of vomiting, slick black bile erupting from her mouth.

"Get out," Dave urged over his shoulder, uncharacteristically authoritative. "She doesn't need an audience, leave her to Kanaya and I."

"But I need to help," Karkat blubbered.

"Karkat, come on," John coaxed, grabbing the albino's shoulder and pulling him into the hall. "Listen to Dave, okay?"

"Karkat, I'm f-f-f-ine!" Rose choked and strangled the vomit back to assure him, but to no avail; sludge punctured the toilet water with a guttural groan to accommodate.

The door shut before Karkat could help it, the sound of the lock clicking behind him rendering the albino useless. Muffled grunts of anger and determination sounded from behind the door before there was a few thuds, accompanied by an approaching Terezi to see what the commotion had been about. The company, while making her feel cherished, fashioned a sense of stage fright in her bowls, which complied with a soft rumble before taking over in more puke as Rose drowned in her sweat and tears. She knew backsplash had dirtied her favorite dress, encouraging the quilt that had begun to accumulate in her cranium.

"I'm so so-_hgn_-orry, Dave," she groaned, her head lolling onto her shoulder as she held in another outburst.

"No, Rose, it's fine," the man knelt at Rose's free side, glancing at Kanaya for assurance.

"I tho-ought it was just a, a, _ughh_-a once-thing."

Between all the panting and pained gasps, not to mention the thick tongue of liquor, Rose was hard to understand but had managed to get her point across before her shoulder blades contracted as she released more bile.

"It's alright," he repeated softly.

"Rose, honey, you're going to clog John's toilet," Kanaya interjected, preening the woman's hair apologetically. "We need to flush it."

"She needs a bucket and a tums," Dave added in an attempt to lighten the mood. He shrugged abstractedly at Kanaya as her jade eyes met his red ones, a look of slight antipathy lingering in her orbs as she began to continue. "Hold back for a moment."

With an affectionate kiss to the side of her lover's head, Kanaya slung an arm over Rose's shoulders and used the free one to maneuver, reaching across the toilet bowl of guck to pull the handle. The toilet roared as it tried to swallow Rose's stomach content, gurgling as it managed to suck down the black encrusted solidity.

Rose's eyes watered as she held her breath, the sterile sting of vomit berating her nostrils. The water slowly began to resurface with an awful slurping noise, and Rose couldn't hold back anymore. Her chest began to spasm, her upper body flinging closer to the white bowl as she emptied her gut.

There were no breaks now; gallons of the black bile washed away the lingering odor of bathroom, leaving only the stale smell of puke and, peculiarly, salt water.

"It smells like the ocean," Dave observed, horror fluctuating his voice.

Kanaya said nothing in return, her eyes fixated on the drunkard woman before her. One hand was her support beam, the other hand working Rose's back in a futile attempt to sooth her. She tried hopelessly to keep her breathing even, but it was no use, her oxygen intake hitched every time Rose displayed a hemorrhaged ailment, she had to resist the urge to join Rose in vomitting.

"K-Ka-Ka-na-Kana-_blrugh_!" In a pursuit of trying to spit out Kanaya's name, Rose had managed to project another mop of black secretion.

"Don't try to speak," Kanaya cooed, rubbing Rose's back with a bit more fortitude.

The female managed a nod, her eyes wide and staring into the toilet. The black was sticking to the insides of the bowl, consorted every so often by a fresh new splash of moisture, a consolation of tears on her lashes. She gripped the sides of the bowl for balance, her head spinning and as heavy as a ton. For a brief moment, she felt bad for possibly tarnishing her friend's toilet, but the guilt was washed away as soon as she propelled more vomit.

It was getting harsh now. Whenever the bile climbed up her throat, it made her entire person tremble as the heat pushed so hard against the walls it nearly expanded her neck, only to come out in an explosive projection from her mouth that mingled with the sounds of pained cries. The vibrations shot down her spine, boiling and pooling in the pit of her stomach, only to assault another glob of bile. She wanted to believe she was being drained; almost finished, but something told her there was still so, so much more to go through.


	5. Tentacle Therapist

As if puking with ease had been taken for granted, it seemed something was stuck now, and it was trying to get out. It wanted, it _needed _to escape, and the only route was through Rose. She was momentarily thankful it had decided to escape through this end, but as it began to crawl through her body, she decided this was still a pretty shit experience.

"It's coming," she groaned, her eyes rolling back until nothing but white was shown. Dave's eyes widened behind his shades, the shock that coerced him throwing him to his feet. Kanaya withdrew her hand fearfully as Rose began to paroxysm violently, her spine and the muscles surrounding it had seemed to move under her palm.

A gurgling noise sounded from Rose's stomach that made Dave's teeth chatter.

Rose's hands fell from their post as her head cocked back abruptly, a tortured growl exuding from within the girl. The tears had stopped, but blood churned black bile dribbled down her chin, staining her pale skin. Black began to sputter from her mouth like it were an open wound, droplets splattering across Kanaya's face as she edged back, driven by sheer terror. Her shoulders collided with the wall behind her. Blocked from crawling any further away, she bit her lip to stifle a horrified scream. It caught in her throat, exiting in a throbbing headache. Dave's heels hit the door, where he too was stranded.

"Rose," he respired, his eyes never leaving Rose's person as she continued to shake and gurgle. Her head fell back in an unnatural was as her body seemingly collapsed on itself, her bones giving out with an awful crunching noise that pushed a scream out of her lungs. Her face was in Dave's direct view, albeit upside down. Her eyes rolled into view, no more than a pupil it seemed.

"Dave," Rose choked out, blood deluging past her lips.  
"R-Rose?" Dave seethed.

Her torso shot up to a normal position, a few snaps reverberating her bones. Her arms hung limply at her hips, her weight on her folded knees.

"Help...me..." she sobbed to Kanaya. "It hurts," her eyes rolled back once more.

The woman's body twitched a few times before something threw itself out of Rose's body, erupting from her mouth, suffocating a scream. Her throat squeezed around it like prey as it flopped out; a length of tentacle dripping black ooze onto the floor. It was ripping the corner's of Rose's lips, the skin pulling apart as a second one followed behind, alive and wriggling for freedom.

"Oh, my God," Dave croaked.

Kanaya's lips quivered, the need to scream dying as she faced her lover.

Another tentacle exploded from its confide, completely stretching Rose's jaw, breaking it with an audibly crack. Tear's flooded Kanaya's eyes, blurring her vision, as she watched the monster destroy Rose from the inside out.

Rose's eyes fluttered every so often to try and prevent the black sludge from intruding, but to no avail. Blood stained her cheeks, flinging from the tentacles in conjunction with the blood that percolated from her ripping lips.

The three tentacles that squirmed in the air, Rose as it's host, only broadened the fear that hung in the atmosphere. They weren't enormous; but they were huge in comparison to Rose's plush figure.

"We're so fucked," Dave sobbed.

* * *

[[**Note:** I don't know where to go with this now! So ideas would be nice. Like, what to do, and how to end the story? o: PLEASE AND THANKYOU!]]


End file.
